Butchered

By Melissa Meehan
ILLEGAL deer hunters stand accused of dumping a headless and skinned mother deer and fawn at the entrance to Kurth Kiln Regional Park.
The shocking find has sparked calls to authorities for more park patrols to prevent illegal hunting.
Gembrook’s Andrew Thornton said he was “shocked” when he came across the carcasses when he was walking his dog Rory near the Gilwell Track area of the park on Monday night.
“It was just getting dark,” Mr Thornton said.
“They were just there, dumped and butchered – the stench was terrible.”
Mr Thornton said it was not the first time he had heard of deer hunting in the area, although hunting in the park was illegal.
He said he had heard shots now and then but when he contacted authorities they said there was not much they could do.
“It’s a bit of an issue,” he said.
“But this, it’s so close to the road and there are beer bottles inside the carcass, there is just no dignity in it.
“Whoever did this brazenly left them out in the open.”
Mr Thornton said the animals had obviously not been shot as game, as the meat would have been taken away. He said he was disgusted by what he found.
“It’s just not on,” he said.
“There needs to be someone patrolling the parks.”
President of the Victorian Hound Hunters Association Alex Crstic said his organisation took any illegal deer hunting seriously.
He said deer hunting was not allowed in Kurth Kiln Regional Park.
“But ethical hunters don’t leave deer carcasses hanging around, they harvest the deer and take it away,” Mr Crstic.
“From time to time you get an unethical criminal element in any group who choose to conduct themselves inappropriately.”
Mr Crstic said he did not believe the deer and the fawn were shot at the site where their remains were found. He said it was more likely they were dumped there.
“It looks like they have been dumped, the intestines and bodies have been broken up in accordance with the appropriate butchering technique,” he said.
“If they were shot where they were found, there would have been a significant amount of blood and other things.
“It’s a waste of meat; we don’t support the behaviour of these people.”
Illegal hunters face being charged under the Wildlife and Firearms Acts.
Ranger in charge Greg Young said possible penalties could include firearm seizure, loss of firearm licence and hefty fines.